A Trauma-Informed Perspective

The Trauma-Informed Approach (TIA) is not just a series of steps we follow, but rather the way we carry out our practices. This newsletter offers essential resources and insights for educators to deepen their understanding of how trauma can adversely impact individuals and communities. Additionally, we will explore effective strategies for creating safe spaces and fostering trusting relationships within the school environment.

Trauma as an event or circumstance resulting in: physical harm, emotional harm, and/or life-threatening harm.

Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

The Body Keeps The Score

Published by Penguin Random House Q. You've been working with traumatized children and adults for many years and have seen significant changes in how mental illness and trauma are treated. What have you learned from neuroscience, attachment research, and interpersonal neurobiology about how to help children and adults recover from toxic stress?

besselvanderkolk.com

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur during childhood. The ACEs questionnaire is completed by the individual when they are adults. The higher the score (number) the greater the risk for adverse effects, such as health problems, throughout life. It is NOT an assessment and the ACEs score does not change after the intervention.

Nadine Burke Harris: How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime

Childhood trauma isn't something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.

ted.com

One way to understand the development of resilience is to visualize a balance scale or seesaw. Protective experiences and coping skills on one side counterbalance significant adversity on the other. Resilience is evident when a child’s health and development tips toward positive outcomes — even when a heavy load of factors is stacked on the negative outcome side.

The List of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)

Feel able to talk with family about your feelings
Feel that your family stood by you during difficult times
Enjoy participating in community traditions
Feel a sense of belonging in school
Feel supported by friends
Have at least two non-parent adults who took a genuine interest in you
Feel safe and protected by an adult in your home

REMEMBER the more PCEs a child has, the more likely they are to be healthy and resilient

“Trauma-informed educators recognize students’ actions are a direct result of their life experiences. When their students act out or disengage, they don’t ask them, ‘What is wrong with you?’ but rather, ‘What happened to you?’.”

-SAMHSA

SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach

Click this bottom to download the manual!

A "trauma-informed" approach emphasizes the critical role of healthy relationships in healing from trauma, as supportive connections can provide a sense of safety, trust, and validation, allowing individuals to process their experiences and begin to recover; essentially, positive relationships are considered a cornerstone of trauma recovery and should be prioritized in any therapeutic or support setting.

The 2x10 Strategy

This strategy is a great starting place to build a relationship with your student.

MIU IV Social Work Team

Need more information or resources? Feel free to contact the MIU IV Social Work Team!

Bryda Drumm, LSW, H&SV, C-SSW

Jennifer Guthrie, LCSW, C-SSW

Sara Joseph, MSW, LCW, C-SSW

socialwork@miu4.org

A Trauma-Informed Perspective

MIU IV Social Work

Trauma as an event or circumstance resulting in: physical harm, emotional harm, and/or life-threatening harm.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

The Body Keeps The Score

Nadine Burke Harris: How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime

The List of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)

“Trauma-informed educators recognize students’ actions are a direct result of their life experiences. When their students act out or disengage, they don’t ask them, ‘What is wrong with you?’ but rather, ‘What happened to you?’.”

MIU IV Social Work Team

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What is Trauma? What is Trauma?

Trauma as an event or circumstance resulting in: physical harm, emotional harm, and/or life-threatening harm.

Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs)

Building Resilience Building Resilience

The List of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)

Trauma-Informed Mindset Trauma-Informed Mindset

“Trauma-informed educators recognize students’ actions are a direct result of their life experiences. When their students act out or disengage, they don’t ask them, ‘What is wrong with you?’ but rather, ‘What happened to you?’.”

Building Relationships Building Relationships

An Example of a Trauma-Informed Approach Classroom Practice An Example of a Trauma-Informed Approach Classroom Practice

MIU IV Social Work Team

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